Helius appoints director of innovation and productivity

Angela Freiden has been appointed director of innovation and productivity at Helius Therapeutics, New Zealand’s largest licenced medicinal cannabis company.

The director of innovation and productivity will be responsible for coordinating an innovative pipeline of projects and products for Helius, instilling groundbreaking thinking and productivity measures.

Helius Therapeutics chief executive Carmen Doran said: “Angela will be responsible for driving continuous improvement and innovative inhouse processes. This will ensure that Helius delivers products in the most efficient way possible, shortening lead times and lessening costs. It’s work that will ultimately result in greater choice and better outcomes for patients.”

To support Helius’s extensive R&D programme, Freiden will also develop and grow innovative collaborations across New Zealand and around to the world. She will lead key funding applications to ensure the development and timely delivery of next generation medicines.

In July, Helius became New Zealand’s first medicinal cannabis business to be awarded a GMP Licence to Manufacture Medicines. The Medicinal Cannabis Agency has since announced that two new local medicinal cannabis products have met the minimum quality standard, with the 100% Kiwi-owned company to unleash its exporting strategy from 2022.

“Like many others at Helius, Angela also brings considerable animal health experience, which will be a huge asset for our sister company Hale Animal Health as it continues to develop its R&D pipeline for the future,” Doran said.

Freiden was previously general manager and non-executive director at New Beta and New Alpha Innovation in Hamilton, developing biopharmaceutical products for humans and animals. She has been regional pharmacy manager at Baxter Healthcare leading a team of 120 people. Earlier in her career, she held production management roles at BioCSL, BASF, and Slade Healthcare. She has also spent three years as a pharmaceutical consultant.

Freiden holds an MBA in health administration from Massey University, a Bachelor of Science (BSc) majoring in pharmacology from Auckland University. She has a National Certificate in Pharmacy from Auckland University of Technology and is a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt.

Freiden will work closely with Marten Vos, who’s also been recently announced as the director of research and development.

Their appointments follow the announcement of Candace Kinser as the new board chair at Helius. The accomplished chief executive and non-executive board director brings significant experience in high-growth startups, technology transformation, healthcare, biotech, and agribusiness commercialisation.

This is supplied content and not commissioned or paid for by NBR.